The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-02-16
Correspondence.
HOW THEY FARM.
Straightout Describes the three Methods
Pursued in the Blues Gulley Section.
BLUES GULLEY.

EDITOR PROGRESSIVE FARMER -
The PROGRESSIVE FARMER, as it's name
implies, should be not only acquain-
t d with the best methods of farming
but should know how farming is
done in every section Of the State,
and since the Farmers convention
adopted The PROGRESSIVE FARMER
as the organ of the farmers of North
Carolina [ thought l would tell my
brethren how we in these parts do
it.
There are three ways of farming
in these parts. First, do it yourself
on your own account. Second, do it
by giving a crop lien. Third, get
tenants to do it for you.
The first of these methods is very
unpopular in these parts, but has
proved to be the most satisfactory
and remunerative after it is done.
This appropriately grows out Of the
fact it requires more work and
allows less time for talking politics.
rabbit hunting and attending pro-
tracted meetings, and these things
have a great charm for the people
down here, so much so that even
the negroes have been known to
walk ten miles to attend a politi-
cal spe liking and some of their
churches hold meetings for a month
at a time. It is not unusual for
some young men up in Raleigh ON
nected with the railroads to give a
negro preacher 500 to hold a pro-
tracted meeting near some depot to
which they run excursion trains and
make $1,000 by the operation as
they get out posters telling of the
hundreds to be baptized, and hire
unners to spread the report among
the negroes. Our people are fond of
idIing. They do not like any work,
profession or calling that keeps
them busy, hence doing the farm
work, preparing compost heaps,
blowing the ground and cultivating
the crop is to them very laborious
and distasteful. They rather try
any other method and for this rea-
0 only a few of my neighbors farm
themselves. Those who do are the
best off, have most to sell, and seem
the happiest, though they don't
know so much. 1t is very astonish-
ing to note the great Improvement
in the men who farm by proxy. They
are posted on politics, religion and
gossip and can talk learnedly on
any subject, besides repeating day
or night every one of Vance's tales
or Col. Steele's old jokes. They
have become so wordy that it takes
the most advanced of them a solid
hour to tell how Squire Virgins
dog, Brogdon, whipped Dick Smiths
dog, Buxton, in a fight they had at
Squire Virgins mill. But none of
these talkative farmers have as yet
paid their taxes. They are all an
didates for office and are greatly
elated when an ofice-holder has
died or resigned-think possibly
the governor will call on them to
fill the vacancy. They are prepared
in their opinion for any office from
minister to St. James to the Post
m%astership of Blues Gulley, which
pays $3.50 a year-and would gladly
take either. The men who do their
own work do not seem to pine after
office, but are quietly improving
their homes and adding to their
farms.
The second method of farming in
these parts is by the crop lien.
This is easy and very popular as it
gives nine months time for politics
&c. 1t is usually done in this way:
the farmer goes to his grocer or
some agent and says how much land
he expects to put in cotton and how
many acres he is going to put in
corn. He has the land, a horse, and
two steers and himself and a boy to
work. The merchant takes a crop
lien on the prospective crop and
chattel mortgage on the horse and
steers, then he agrees to furnish the
farmer 5000. in Cincinnati pork,
corn, guano, &C., and possibly a lit
tie cash in the busy season when the
cotton is chopped and the corn hoed.
The farmer after fixing the papers
returns to his home in great joy.
= In a day or two he sends the boy to
the store with an order. The writ
ing of hat order fills his soul with
pride. He has ordered the merchant
to send him by the boy all hat his
SOU desires. He didn't ask the
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